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Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 


Message Text 

UNCLASSIFIED 

PAGE 01 BREMEN 00262 01 OF 02 071143Z 
ACTION EUR- 12 

INFO OCT-01 ISO-OO ERDA-07 AID-05 CEA-01 CIAE-00 
COME-OO EPG-02 DODE-OO EB-07 FEAE-00 FPC-01 H-02 
INR-07 INT-05 L-03 NSAE-00 NSC-05 OMB-01 PM-04 
USIA-15 OES-07 SP-02 SS-15 STR-04 TRSE-00 ACDA-10 
ARA-14 DHA-02 CG-00 DOTE-OO MC-02 PRS-01 PA-02 
AGRE-00 NRC-07 /144W 

071248Z 096376/46 

R 0709 15Z JUN 77 
FM AMCONSUL BREMEN 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2294 
INFO AMEMBASSY BONN 
US MISSION BERLIN 479 
AMCONSUL DUESSELDORF 
AMCONSUL FRANKFURT 
AMCONSUL HAMBURG 
AMCONSUL MUNICH 
AMCONSUL STUTTGART 

UNCLAS SECTION 1 OF 2 BREMEN 262 

E.O. 11652: N/A 
TAGS: PFOR, GW, US 

SUBJECT: KOSCHNICK DISCUSSES US-GERMAN RELATIONS 

1 . SUMMARY: IN A SPEECH BEFORE THE MUNICH CHAPTER OF THE 
AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HANS KOSCHNICK, MAYOR OF BREMEN 
AND NATIONAL VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE SPD, SKETCHED THE PRESENT 
STATE OF US-GERMAN RELATIONS, TOUCHING ON SUCH CONTROVERSIAL 
ISSUES AS THE FRG-BRAZIL ATOMIC POWER DEAL, NATO STANDARD- 
IZATION, PROBLEMS OF THE WORLD ECONOMY AND INTERNATIONAL 
TRADE, NORTH-SOUTH DIALOGUE, AND THE TREATMENT OF THE HUMAN 
RIGHTS ISSUE. HE CONCLUDED THAT DESPITE TEMPORARY DISCORDS, 

THE FOUNDATION OF US-GERMAN RELATIONS REMAINS STRONG. 

END SUMMARY. 

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PAGE 02 BREMEN 00262 0 1 OF 02 07 1 143Z 

2. THE LAND BREMEN PRESS OFFICE MADE AVAILABLE TO US COPIES 
OF BUERGERMEISTER HANS KOSCHNICK'S ADDRESS, DELIVERED AT A 
MONTHLY LUNCHEON OF THE MUNICH BRANCH OF THE AMERICAN CHAMBER 
OF COMMERCE IN GERMANY ON MAY 31. THE TOPIC OF THE TALK WAS 
"GERMAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS— TENSIONS OR COOPERATION?" FOLLOWING 
IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SPEECH, COPIES OF WHICH 
ARE BEING MAILED THROUGH THE POUCH. 


Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 



Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 


3. KOSCHNICK ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE FORMULATION OF THE TOPIC 
REFLECTS THE FACT THAT TO AN INCREASING DEGREE POINTS OF FRICTION 
HAVE ARISEN RECENTLY IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED 
STATES AND THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC. IN PART SUCH FRICTIONS WERE A 
FUNCTION OF EUROPEAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS, IN PART THEY WERE AN 
OUTGROWTH OF BILATERAL PROBLEMS AND OF DISPARATE RESPONSES OF 
THE UNITED STATES AND THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC TO WORLD-POLITICAL 
PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, KOSCHNICK DECLARED, HE WELCOMED THE FACT 
THAT AT THE RECENT SUMMIT MEETING THE US PRESIDENT AND THE 
CHANCELLOR NOT ONLY REACHED A CLOSER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR 
RESPECTIVE POSITIONS, BUT ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THEM AN ATMOSPHERE 
THAT IS NOT ONLY DESIRABLE BUT NECESSARY BETWEEN PARTNERS. 

4. MOVING ON TO SPECIFIC ISSUES, KOSCHNICK DISCUSSED THE 

PRESENT STATE OF THE WORLD ECONOMY, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO 
THE RELATIVELY HIGH LEVEL OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE INDUSTRIALIZED 
COUNTRIES. HE COVERED THE PROBLEMS OF ENERGY IN GENERAL AND THE 
RISKS OF ATOMIC ENERGY, BOTH FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND 
PROLIFERATION STANDPOINTS. HE WELCOMED THE COMMITMENT OF THE 
PARTICPANTS AT THE LONDON SUMMIT TO ADHERE TO THE PRINCIPLES OF 
FREE TRADE. HE REFERRED TO THE COMMITMENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC 
TO AIM AT A 5 PERCENT GROWTH LEVEL THIS YEAR AND SAID THAT, IN 
THE EVENT THAT THIS LEVEL CANNOT BE ACHIEVED, FURTHER STIMULATIVE 
MEASURES BY THE GOVERNMENT WILL BECOME NECESSARY. HE CONCEDED. 
HOWEVER, THAT THERE APPEARS TO BE NO GENERAL PRESCRIPTION FOR A 
REDUCTION IN THE LEVEL OF UNEMPLOYMENT. CAUTIONING AGAINST ANY 
STEPS THAT MIGHT REKINDLE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, KOSCHNICK SAID 
THAT THE CAPACITIES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC TO STIMULATE FURTHER 
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PAGE 03 BREMEN 00262 01 OF 02 071 143Z 

GROWTH IN ITS IMPORTS WERE LIMITED. 

5. COMMENTING ON THE NORTH-SOUTH DIALOGUE, KOSCHNICK PLEADED 
FOR A MORE GENEROUS ATTITUDE ON THE PART OF THE DEVELOPED WORLD 
VIS-A-VIS THE DEMANDS OF THE THIRD WORLD. HE SAID THAT HE 
CONSIDERED IT UNWISE TO TRY TO KEEP THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 
DANGLING MUCH LONGER AND TO PUT THEM OFF WITH PROMISES OF A 
BETTER TOMORROW. HE CAUTIONED. HOWEVER, THAT THE CAPACITY FOR 
COMPROMISE AND CONCESSION BY THE US AND THE FRG VIS-A-VIS THE 
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IS NOT UNLIMITED, BECAUSE OF THEIR OWN 
ECONOMIC PROBLEMS. KOSCHNICK EXPRESSED HIMSELF FIRMLY AGAINST 
INDEXATION OF RAW MATERIAL PRICES AND CALLED ATTENTION TO THE 
DIFFICULTIES OF ESTABLISHING A GENERAL COMMODITIES FUND. HE 
SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THE STABILIZATION OF EXPORT RECEIPTS 

BY THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES FOR THEIR RAW MATERIALS. HE ALSO 
SAID THAT THE INDUSTTAI JZF.D WORLD MUST BE PREPARED SERIOUSLY 
TO CONSIDER DEMANDS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE DEBT MORATORIUM. 


Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 



Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 


UNCLASSIFIED 


NNN 

UNCLASSIFIED 

PAGE 01 BREMEN 00262 02 OF 02 071 156Z 
ACTION EUR- 12 

INFO OCT-01 ISO-OO ERDA-07 AID-05 CEA-01 CIAE-00 
COME-OO EPG-02 DODE-OO EB-07 FEAE-00 FPC-01 H-02 
INR-07 INT-05 L-03 NSAE-00 NSC-05 OMB-01 PM-04 
USIA-15 OES-07 SP-02 SS-15 STR-04 TRSE-00 ACDA-10 
ARA-14 DHA-02 CG-00 DOTE-OO MC-02 PRS-01 PA-02 
AGRE-00 NRC-07 /144W 

071246Z 096468/46 

R 0709 15Z JUN 77 
FM AMCONSUL BREMEN 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2295 
INFO AMEMBASSY BONN 
US MISSION BERLIN 480 
AMCONSUL DUESSELDORF 
AMCONSUL FRANKFURT 
AMCONSUL HAMBURG 
AMCONSUL MUNICH 
AMCONSUL STUTTGART 

UNCLAS SECTION 2 OF 2 BREMEN 262 

6. KOSCHNICK THEN BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED 
WITH THE PEACEFUL UTILIZATION OF ATOMIC ENERGY, I.E., 

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND FEARS OF WEAPONS PROLIFERATION. 
REFERRING TO THE FRG'S CONTRACT WITH BRAZIL, KOSCHNICK ALLEGED 
THAT THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES WERE CONCERNED LEST THE INDUSTRIALIZED 
COUNTRIES, IN A KIND OF TECHNOLOGICAL NEOCOLONIALISM, DENY TO 
THEM THE MEANS FOR ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION OF ATOMIC ENERGY. 
WITHOUT WISHING TO IDENTIFY HIMSELF WITH THIS VIEWPOINT OF THE 
THIRD WORLD, KOSCHNICK SAID THAT THE ISSUE WAS NOT THE LOSS OF 
FACE BY THE FRG VIS-A-VIS BRAZIL; THE RELIABILITY AND GOOD FAITH 
OF THE INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS AT LARGE VIS-A-VIS THE THIRD WORLD 
WERE AT STAKE. REFERRING TO THE US DECISION NOT TO PROMOTE THE 
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE FAST BREEDER REACTOR, KOSCHNICK SAID 
THAT FOR DOMESTIC POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS A SIMILAR DECISION 
BY THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC CANNOT BE ENTIRELY RULED OUT. HE 
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PAGE 02 BREMEN 00262 02 OF 02 071156Z 

EXPRESSED UNDERSTANDING FOR THE CONCERN OF THE US OVER THE 


Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 



Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 


INCREASED RISKS OF PROLIFERATION STEMMING FROM A PLUTONIUM 
ECONOMY. 

7. KOSCHNICK WAS CAUSTICALLY CRITICAL OVER THE BEHAVIOR OF 
SOME AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS WICH HAVE ASSERTEDLY BLOCKED 
THE SALE OF THE VFW-614 AIRCRAFT TO THE US COAST GUARD, AS WELL 

AS OVER THE REPORTEDLY UNFAIR COMPETITIVE TESTING OF THE GERMAN 
LEOPARD AND AMERICAN AMX TANKS. HE CAUTIONED THAT THE GERMAN 
PUBLIC AND BUNDESTAG WOULD NOT ACCEPT THIS FORM OF "BUY AMERICAN" 
TACTICS. EVERYONE WHO IS FOR "FAIR PLAY" IN THE TRADE EXCHANGE 
BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS. HE EXPRESSED 
THE HOPE THAT IN THIS CONNECTION THE AMERICAN AWACS PROJECT 
DOES NOT BECOME THE VICTIM. 

8. KOSCHNICK MADE SOME CRITICAL OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING THE 
RECENT FISHERIES AGREEMENT CONCLUDED BETWEEN THE US AND THE EC. 
BUT CONCEDED THAT THE EUROPEANS HAVE NOT BEEN GUILTLESS IN THEIR 
OWN PROTECTIONIST TRADE POLICIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF 
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 

9. TURNING TO THE RECENT PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, IN 
WHICH THERE WAS ALLEGEDLY A SERIOUS DIFFERENCE IN THE POSITIONS 
OF THE US AND THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC, KOSCHNICK DISPUTED THAT 
REALS DIFFERENCES EXISTED. WHILE ANALYZING THE MOTIVATIONS WHICH 
PROMPTED THE NEW AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION TO UNFOLD ITS INITIATIVES 
ON HUMAN RIGHTS, KOSCHNICK CAUTIONED AGAINST FORCING THE ISSUE TO 
EXTREMES IN THE WEST'S RELATIONS WITH COMMUNIST-CONTROLLED STATES. 
THE SOVIET UNION, HE ASSERTED, MAY REACT BY REVIVING THE COLD WAR, 

IN WHICH CASE OTHERS (NOT SO MUCH THE SOVIETS) WILL BE THE REAL 
VICTIMS AND SUFFERERS. HE MADE A PLEA NOT TO ENDANGER THE 
ACHIEVEMENTS OF HELSINKI THROUGH PROPAGANDA SALLIES. "NONE OF UZCN 
HE SAID, "WANTS A RETURN TO THE COLD WAR". AT THE SAME TIME, 

HOWEVER, "WE ALL OBSERVE WITH CONCERN THE ATTEMPTS OF THE SOVIET 
UNION TO CHANGE IN ITS FAVOR, THROUGH A FORCED PACE OF RZAMENT, 

THE PREREQUISITES FOR A TRUE DETENTE". WHILE WORKING IN 
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PAGE 03 BREMEN 00262 02 OF 02 071 156Z 

UNISON WITH THE UNITED STATES TOWARD THE GOAL OF DISARMAMENT AND 
RELAXATION OF TENSIONS IN THE WORLD, KOSCHNICK SAID, EUROPE AND 
ESPECIALLY THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC WILL HAVE TO MAKE THEIR FULL 
CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT SECURITY. CONCLUDING, KOSCHNICK STATED THAT 
GERMAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS TODAY ARE SO FIRM THAT EVEN DISCORDS 
OVER SUCH ISSUES AS THE BRAZIL DEAL OR OVER DIFFICULTIES IN THE 
STANDARDIZATION IN NATO WEAPONS SYSTEMS COULD NOT HAVE A 
LINGERING ADVERSE EFFECT ON THESE RELATIONS. THERE IS NO REASON 
FOR SERIOUS CONCERN. 

10. COMMENT: NOT BEING A MEMBER OF THE BONN GOVERNMENT, KOSCHNICK 
DELIVERED AN UNINHIBITED AND CANDID EVALUATION OF THE PRESENT 
STATE OF GERMAN-US RELATIONS. HE COVERED VIRTUALLY EVERY ISSUE 


Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 



Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 

THAT HAD BEEN THE SUBJECT OF RECENT CONTROVERSY BETWEEN THE TWO 
GOVERNMENTS AND HE REFLECTED BONN'S CRITICISM OF US POSITIONS. 

THE UPBEAT NOTE ON WHICH HE CONCLUDED HES SPEECH REFLECTS BOTH 
THE CHANGED ATMOSPHERE THAT SET IN FOLLOWING THE PRESIDENT'S AND 
THE CHANCELLOR'S MEETING AT THE LONDON SUMMIT AS WELL AS 
KOSCHNICK S OWN CONVICTION OF THE BASIC SOLIDITY OF US FRG 
BILATERAL RELATIONS. SCHIFFMAN 


UNCLASSIFIED 


NNN 


Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 



Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 


Message Attributes 


Automatic Decaptioning: X 
Capture Date: 01 -Jan-1 994 12:00:00 am 
Channel Indicators: n/a 
Current Classification: UNCLASSIFIED 

Concepts: FOREIGN RELATIONS, NUCLEAR ENERGY, HUMAN RIGHTS, REPORTS, SPEECHES, PROGRAMS (PROJECTS) 

Control Number: n/a 
Copy: SINGLE 

Sent Date: 07-Jun-1977 12:00:00 am 
Decaption Date: 01 -Jan-1 960 12:00:00 am 

Decaption Note: 

Disposition Action: n/a 
Disposition Approved on Date: 

Disposition Case Number: n/a 
Disposition Comment: 

Disposition Date: 01 -Jan-1 960 12:00:00 am 
Disposition Event: 

Disposition History: n/a 
Disposition Reason: 

Disposition Remarks: 

Document Number: 1977BREMEN00262 

Document Source: CORE 

Document Unique ID: 00 

Drafter: n/a 

Enclosure: n/a 

Executive Order: N/A 

Errors: N/A 

Expiration: 

Film Number: D770202-0579 
Format: TEL 
From: BREMEN 
Handling Restrictions: n/a 
Image Path: 

ISecure: 1 

Legacy Key: Iink1977/newtext/t19770685/aaaacvwy.tel 

Line Count: 231 
Litigation Code IDs: 

Litigation Codes: 

Litigation History: 

Locator: TEXT ON-LINE, ON MICROFILM 

Message ID: 5caabf83-c288-dd11-92da-001cc4696bcc 

Office: ACTION EUR 

Original Classification: UNCLASSIFIED 

Original Handling Restrictions: n/a 

Original Previous Classification: n/a 

Original Previous Handling Restrictions: n/a 

Page Count: 5 

Previous Channel Indicators: n/a 
Previous Classification: n/a 
Previous Handling Restrictions: n/a 
Reference: n/a 
Retention: 0 

Review Action: RELEASED, APPROVED 
Review Content Flags: 

Review Date: 04-Nov-2004 12:00:00 am 
Review Event: 

Review Exemptions: n/a 
Review Media Identifier: 

Review Release Date: n/a 
Review Release Event: n/a 
Review Transfer Date: 

Review Withdrawn Fields: n/a 
SAS ID: 2254282 
Secure: OPEN 
Status: NATIVE 

Subject: KOSCHNICK DISCUSSES US-GERMAN RELATIONS 
TAGS: PFOR, ECON, GE, US, SPD, (KOSCHNICH, HANS) 

To: STATE 
Type: TE 

vdkvgwkey : odbc://SAS/SAS.dbo.SAS_Docs/5caabf83-c288-dd1 1 -92da-001 cc4696bcc 
Review Markings: 

Margaret P. Grafeld 
Declassified/Released 
US Department of State 
EO Systematic Review 
22 May 2009 

Markings: Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 


Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009